Lingayen—Perlas’ Bea Tan and Dij Rodriguez rediscovered their old form to bag the women’s championship, while the come-backing pair of Mike Abria and Jade Becaldo took the men’s title in the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour Lingayen Open Wednesday at the Capitol Beachfront here.
Tan and Rodriguez won their third title in four legs this year at the expense of NU Boysen 1’s Roma Joy Doromal and Kly Orillaneda, 21-12, 21-15, while Abria and Becaldo, former two-time Boracay beach volleyball now representing Air Force, bested NU Boysen’s James Buytrago and Pol Salvador, 21-19, 21-18.
Both pairs went undefeated in five matches.
While Tan and Rodriguez cruised to victory to rebound from last weekend’s Dumaguete runner-up finish, Abria and Becaldo had to grind it out to beat Buytrago and Salvador in the Finals.
Trailing, 13-15, in the second frame, Becaldo used his solid net defense to give Air Force a 18-16 lead, while Abria produced the key hits to help their partnership prevail —the first time that the two formidable University of the Visayas standouts captured a beach volleyball title in six years.
Randy Fallorina, one of the Philippine beach volleyball legends, provided the biggest inspirational story in the BVR on Tour, combining forces with Jason Uy in Army 2’s third place finish.
The 39-year old Fallorina, currently an Army coach showed flashes of brilliance, as he and Uy powered their squad’s 15-21, 21-16, 17-15 victory over Fury’s Pemie Bagalay and Greg Utopo.
Sta. Lucia’s Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño, returning for the first time since the Santa Ana Open in Cagayan last year, captured third place with a 21-14, 21-17 victory over Air Force 1’s May Ann Pantino and Jozza Cabalsa.